Venue and access
The conference will be held at the Terra Nostra Garden Hotel****. The address is
Terra Nostra Garden Hotel****
Rua Padre José Jacinto Botelho 5
P-9675-061 Furnas, S. Miguel
Açores, Portugal
Terra Nostra Garden Hotel
The hotel has won many prestigious international awards. All rooms have air conditioning, a telephone, a TV, a mini-bar, and a hair dryer. Free WIFI available throughout the entire hotel. Free unlimited access to Terra Nostra Garden for our conference guests. Facilities of the hotel include a thermal outdoor pool, an indoor pool, a reading and gaming room, a restaurant with a park view, a snack and cocktail bar, and free parking.
Lectures and poster sessions
Lectures and poster sessions will be held in the “Casino” building across the road from Terra Nostra Hotel. The lecture room is equipped with a PowerPoint beamer. Poster sessions and coffee breaks will be in one of the adjacent rooms.
Access
Access to São Miguel by air
The only way to travel to the Azores is by air and the only and the airport on São Miguel is João Paulo II Airport at Ponta Delgada. Several international airlines (including low-cost carriers) operate direct flights from mainland Europe and North America. Check one of the common search engines like Skyscanner and Momondo for details. The airport is situated 47 km from the venue. If you fly with the Azorean Airline SATA you might be entitled to a free flight to another island if you want to do a holiday before the meeting.
Access to the venue by shuttle service
We will organize a shuttle service from João Paulo II Airport to the hotel. Please mark on the registration form that you want a shuttle bus service and state your arrival and departure time from João Paulo II Airport. The price for a shuttle is about €15.
Access to the venue by public transport
Bus service in São Miguel is reasonably reliable, but the buses to Furnas do not leave from the airport. So, you will have to first take the Aerobus to the bus station. Tickets can be bought from the Aerobus booth at the north-eastern corner of the arrival hall. Ask the driver to drop you off at the main bus station at the Av. Infante D. Henrique (on the seaside close to the main tourist office). A return trip is €5. From there you can take bus 110 (2 times daily) or 318 (4 times a day on working days, 2 times on Saturdays and Sundays) to Furnas. Information about timetables and prices of tickets is found at the website of São Miguel Transportation. You can buy tickets from the driver. Please note that three different companies operate the public bus transport on São Miguel. Please tell the driver which hotel you want to go to.
Access to the venue by taxi
A taxi from the airport will cost about €40–€50. This is a reasonable alternative if you are travelling in company. Azorean taxi drivers tend to be honest, but it is wise to ask for the price in advance in order to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Access to the venue by own/rented car
If you stay longer and/or have accompanying persons it might be an idea to rent a car. The car rental company Ilha Verde offers reasonable prices and good service. Pick-up from João Paulo II Airport and on-site booking is possible. From the airport join the ring road / motorway (EN1-1A) in the direction of Lagoa Furnas. It bypasses Ponta Delgada. Carry on on this motorway, which, after 27 km, turns into an ordinary road towards Furnas. Entering Furnas, turn left at a T-junction and immediately to the right at an intersection. The hotel will be on the right after 300 m. The hotel can be found on the map above.